Shyne Barrow Says Small Players Should Benefit from Marijuana Bill Too

Shyne Barrow

On Friday we told you about the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill that was introduced in the House.  The bill seeks to establish licensing, registration and operational requirements for the cultivation, processing, distribution and delivery of cannabis products for adult use in Belize. As a part of its provision it will also seek to expunge marijuana possession records. And one member of the Opposition who supports this bill is the Leader of the Opposition Shyne Barrow. He applauds G.O.B. on what he calls a “bold step,” but says he hopes to see small players benefit from this trade.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“This is one of the times that I agree with the government. I applaud the government for taking such a bold step towards removing the criminality of cannabis consumption and cannabis trade; which the criminalization of cannabis has impacted the poor and lower class for generations. So, I applaud Minister Kareem Musa for taking such a bold step to reverse generations of discrimination and classicism but also help to boost our economy because the economic ramifications of the legalization of cannabis are tremendous. I just hope – that I have looked at the legislation and discussed it – I sit on the House committee of national security and border and will certainly raise to my colleagues that we want to make sure that there is no exclusion in this legislation. We want to make sure that those working class people who have had to engage in the marijuana trade in order to survive are not boxed out by the big men, the rich, wealthy and powerful; so there has to be provisions to ensure because I already saw something in the legislation that says they have to do a background check and they have to do an Interpol check.”

As we mentioned on Friday, Minister of New Growth Industries Kareem Musa says that they have the “Industrial Hemp and Cannabis Control Commission,” which will have a rep for the small scale players and help to ensure fair play in this newly regulated industry for Belize.